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September 12, 2009

‘Scooby-Doo’ enjoys 40th anniversary

by Sam Savage

The 40th anniversary of the TV debut of the popular cartoon character Scooby-Doo and his TV series Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! is upon us.

The Boston Globe reported Saturday the cartoon canine first appeared on CBS on Sept. 13, 1969, and has since become the center of a multimillion-dollar TV, movie and merchandising franchise known worldwide.

In honor of the 40th anniversary of Scooby and his fellow crime-fighters, the Cartoon Network will air a new live-action TV movie Sunday starring the adventurous-yet-fearful pooch.

David Kleeman, American Center for Children and Media president, said the allure of Scooby and his friends has always been a blend of silly action and simple stories.

'Scooby-Doo' was pure fun, silly and kitschy enough for older kids (and some adults) to stick with it, and with simple enough stories that provided action but not violence for younger kids, Kleeman told the Globe via e-mail.